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A Death in the Himalayas: A Neville Wadia Mystery
Why would anyone kill a well-meaning foreigner like Clare Watson in a quiet neighbourhood in the foothills of the Himalayas?
Yes, Clare was a fearless woman. But why would she venture into the dark forest after sundown knowing it fully well as leopard habitat? When a celebrity author-activist is found battered in a Himalayan forest spring, the event resounds internationally. India jumps into headlines once again as a country that is unsafe for women. Closer home, the tragedy divides the sleepy village into gentle folk who mourn the dreadful passing of their dear friend and the motivated elite who believe she was begging for trouble. As Neville Wadia picks his way through the blood-splattered hills of Birtola, he begins to unpack the deadly truth that killed Clare, only to realize there are other tender lives at stake.
What kind of killer is at work here: a jealous lover, a dejected husband, a sharp land grabber, a wily politician or a disgruntled local? Tense and atmospheric, a Death in the Himalayas is a mesmerizing mystery about the little-known intimacies of an idyllic locale.
174 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 3, 2019
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102 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
December 14, 2019
Maybe, I can never move past Mujherjee's craft of writing an ideal family drama. That's one way to start a review of a book I enjoyed but also despised because of the lack of intensity. The first book in the 'Neville Wadia Mystery' series, 'A Death in the Himalayas' might not be as promising as it sounds.
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Neville Wadia is drawn to murders and this time it's his close friend Clare. Clare, an author and a social activist made many enemies and hurt a lot of egos. Her personal life was a mess and she had secrets of her own. For Neville, a retired police officer, this is a case that reminds him of another girl whose fate lied in his hand years ago and how he failed to protect her.
.
What Mukherjee does in this story is that he gives us a detective with an impeccable record and one minor flaw, a small town that is knee-deep in corruption, a victim who ruffled the some wrong and very dangerous feathers and another dirty secret (the mystery that needs solving) hiding in plain sight. This small town in Uttarakhand offers mesmerizing scenic beauty but also conceals tragedies. Wadia's character is that of a clever detective, who notices everything, deduces silently and knows exactly what's going on but not really. (reminds me of a lot of detectives in the literary world tbh).
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The story, in general, lacks intensity. While it was fascinating to see the events unfold, it also felt repetitive. The build of the actual suspense is severely downplayed. My problem with this book lies with the fact that there weren't any clues left for the readers to identify the murderer. It was a game of trust that I found to be painful and quite honestly, perplexing.
.
But on the brighter side, it is a mystery that has undertones of how women are treated in a world so full of hate and jealousy, a world where patriarchy takes precedence over logic and humanity. A geographical location being degraded by corrupt politicians and contractors, a community fighting against such odds to survive and a close introspection of a foreigners' life at a local level.
.
Neville Wadia is drawn to murders and this time it's his close friend Clare. Clare, an author and a social activist made many enemies and hurt a lot of egos. Her personal life was a mess and she had secrets of her own. For Neville, a retired police officer, this is a case that reminds him of another girl whose fate lied in his hand years ago and how he failed to protect her.
.
What Mukherjee does in this story is that he gives us a detective with an impeccable record and one minor flaw, a small town that is knee-deep in corruption, a victim who ruffled the some wrong and very dangerous feathers and another dirty secret (the mystery that needs solving) hiding in plain sight. This small town in Uttarakhand offers mesmerizing scenic beauty but also conceals tragedies. Wadia's character is that of a clever detective, who notices everything, deduces silently and knows exactly what's going on but not really. (reminds me of a lot of detectives in the literary world tbh).
.
The story, in general, lacks intensity. While it was fascinating to see the events unfold, it also felt repetitive. The build of the actual suspense is severely downplayed. My problem with this book lies with the fact that there weren't any clues left for the readers to identify the murderer. It was a game of trust that I found to be painful and quite honestly, perplexing.
.
But on the brighter side, it is a mystery that has undertones of how women are treated in a world so full of hate and jealousy, a world where patriarchy takes precedence over logic and humanity. A geographical location being degraded by corrupt politicians and contractors, a community fighting against such odds to survive and a close introspection of a foreigners' life at a local level.
December 2, 2019
Heralding the first in a series featuring a former police officer Neville Wadia,A Death in the Himalayas is quite the one starting with the title (doffing a hat to the Queen of crime fiction perhaps!) and mentions of the sleuthing skills of Sherlock Holmes. Neville’s character has a smart sidekick too: a current police officer who admires him and puts in a request to work on the case of the gruesome murder of a foreign national in the quiet of the hills.
It is difficult not to love the nuances that the author brings into the setting of the murder: the ecological damage wrought upon by corrupt and money making enterprises, the beauty of the hills marred by the greed of contractors and politicians, the tendency of people from the cities running to the hills for solitude while the locals want to get out and join the rate race.
Neville Wadia is an interesting character for sure: there is a brief backstory about the circumstances that have brought him and his wife, the emotional and partly mental baggage he has brought with him. The plot has enough potential but nowhere can one call this a pulsating mystery thriller, rather I felt that the identity of the culprit was too convenient for the character was the least problematic of the other suspects who represents power and clout in the Indian social firmament.
It is difficult not to love the nuances that the author brings into the setting of the murder: the ecological damage wrought upon by corrupt and money making enterprises, the beauty of the hills marred by the greed of contractors and politicians, the tendency of people from the cities running to the hills for solitude while the locals want to get out and join the rate race.
Neville Wadia is an interesting character for sure: there is a brief backstory about the circumstances that have brought him and his wife, the emotional and partly mental baggage he has brought with him. The plot has enough potential but nowhere can one call this a pulsating mystery thriller, rather I felt that the identity of the culprit was too convenient for the character was the least problematic of the other suspects who represents power and clout in the Indian social firmament.
March 6, 2020
This was a very entertaining and interesting book. Especially close to my heart because of its setting, which is home. I loved the way Mukherjee weaved in the local issues so skillfully into the story, highlighting issues that ail the state so badly. I was able to guess who the culprit might be but for the wrong motives. Loved the way he brought the himalayan village n life alive in the pages. I hope for more in the series and despite the ending, i hipe they will be set in the Himalayas too.
October 28, 2019
I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
A Death in the Himalayas is an interesting whodunnit set in a sleepy little village at the foothills of the Himalayas. While the story itself is interesting, the writing is more "telling" than "showing", something that dimmed the reading experience for me.
Read the entire review on This is Lit.
A Death in the Himalayas is an interesting whodunnit set in a sleepy little village at the foothills of the Himalayas. While the story itself is interesting, the writing is more "telling" than "showing", something that dimmed the reading experience for me.
Read the entire review on This is Lit.
September 19, 2024
The story is engaging, simple, but not so exciting. It's a linear story.
November 7, 2024
A good murder mystery. Cannot decide on suspect until the last moment. Pretty interesting characters and great flow of the story.
February 27, 2024
so boring for a mystery book... the prose was my biggest issue god. and also i figured out the killer 4 chapters before the end i was not gagged AT ALL
February 4, 2020
An Indian mystery novel that is here to thrive
Name of the book: A Death in the Himalayas
Name of the Author: Udayan Mukherjee
Publisher: Picador India
Price: Rs. 499
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 274
ISBN: 978-93-89109-18-4
This review appeared in the Free Press Journal newspaper: https://www.freepressjournal.in/book-...
A celebrity author-activist, Clare Watson, is found battered in a Himalayan forest spring. While it resounds internationally and puts pressure on the investigating officer, it also disrupts the peace of the inhabitants of the picturesque Birtola village.
The author with a two-decade-long career as a television anchor and editor, an occasional commentator and newspaper columnist, fluidly expresses both sides of a seemingly idyllic village and about the fangs of brusque urban concretization plans. Also worth noting is the perspective of the villagers and the city dwellers towards each other and their habitats in a way that immediately makes sense to the reader.
A vivid picture of the Himalayas is painted and the impression of a battered body in that area only highlights the stark contrast of an occurrence like that. But after all, are humans any different?
A ‘Neville Wadia mystery’ ( it’s the start of a series), it catches pace and then shows how investigations often reach dead ends and how the minds of the police can be marred with unforgettable scenes that they find difficult to overcome in the long run. It conveys yet again how after all, they are humans too. It brought to the reader’s mind a Malayalam movie ‘Joseph’, which revolves around murder investigations too but with culprits of a different kind.
Who could have murdered Clare – a jealous lover, a dejected husband, a sharp land grabber, a wily politician or a disgruntled local? After all, ‘gori mems’ are the ones who come to a peaceful valley and disrupt the smooth functioning of the society with their ‘flawed morale’ or so believed the villagers. But Clare had friends and supporters too. In that divided society, will it be possible to find the murderer? Or was it a planned group attack?
It keeps the reader on tenterhooks until the end which makes it a fast-paced read. While slightly overpriced (available at a cheaper price online though. Kindle versions are even cheaper), it definitely is worth a read.
Name of the book: A Death in the Himalayas
Name of the Author: Udayan Mukherjee
Publisher: Picador India
Price: Rs. 499
Genre: Fiction
Pages: 274
ISBN: 978-93-89109-18-4
This review appeared in the Free Press Journal newspaper: https://www.freepressjournal.in/book-...
A celebrity author-activist, Clare Watson, is found battered in a Himalayan forest spring. While it resounds internationally and puts pressure on the investigating officer, it also disrupts the peace of the inhabitants of the picturesque Birtola village.
The author with a two-decade-long career as a television anchor and editor, an occasional commentator and newspaper columnist, fluidly expresses both sides of a seemingly idyllic village and about the fangs of brusque urban concretization plans. Also worth noting is the perspective of the villagers and the city dwellers towards each other and their habitats in a way that immediately makes sense to the reader.
A vivid picture of the Himalayas is painted and the impression of a battered body in that area only highlights the stark contrast of an occurrence like that. But after all, are humans any different?
A ‘Neville Wadia mystery’ ( it’s the start of a series), it catches pace and then shows how investigations often reach dead ends and how the minds of the police can be marred with unforgettable scenes that they find difficult to overcome in the long run. It conveys yet again how after all, they are humans too. It brought to the reader’s mind a Malayalam movie ‘Joseph’, which revolves around murder investigations too but with culprits of a different kind.
Who could have murdered Clare – a jealous lover, a dejected husband, a sharp land grabber, a wily politician or a disgruntled local? After all, ‘gori mems’ are the ones who come to a peaceful valley and disrupt the smooth functioning of the society with their ‘flawed morale’ or so believed the villagers. But Clare had friends and supporters too. In that divided society, will it be possible to find the murderer? Or was it a planned group attack?
It keeps the reader on tenterhooks until the end which makes it a fast-paced read. While slightly overpriced (available at a cheaper price online though. Kindle versions are even cheaper), it definitely is worth a read.
June 3, 2023
This novel was highly recommended. Udayan’s own professional credentials are impressive. So I really hoped that this book, touted as India’s mystery novel, would not be disappointing.
When British author-activist Clare Watson is found dead in the forests in the fictional village of Birtola, the eyes of the world are once again riveted upon India. The nation’s dubious reputation as “no country for women” is highlighted. Neville Wadia, retired from the Mumbai Police, and his wife, Shahnaz, who live in the village, and who counted Clare among their friends are shocked to learn that their friend is no more. Identifying the killer will be a challenge.
Clare’s book, India: A Minority Report, about the treatment of the lower castes, religious minorities, women and the LGBT community, was a subject of controversy. Besides, Clare has had run-ins with a local politician, Gopal Kabarwal, and a landshark named Tamta, besides several local men on the issue of domestic violence. Also, she was pregnant but the child wasn’t her husband's.
Which of Clare’s many run-ins led to her life being snuffed out?
The book is written in the third person omniscient point of view.
The language wasn’t up to the mark. "Neville was tossing his head."
Another sentence reads: "A British foreign office spokesperson confirmed that it was in close contact with the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs."
Shouldn’t the ‘it’ have been changed to ‘the foreign office,’ considering that the noun in the above sentence is the spokesperson?
Incorrect punctuation marred the effect. "Neville didn’t open his eyes, but as if in the throes of a seizure seemed to register her words." The prose also suffered from missing articles.
"After crossing a cluster of fruit orchards, bare trees he could recognize as apple or peach, but not the senior man, Ravi slowed…" Here, the author means that the senior man could not recognise the trees.
Elsewhere, Neville describes Peter as, "He hails from the financial markets." How can a person hail from financial markets?
The author refers to a police officer, Ravi Dubey, as Detective Dubey. In India, a detective is a private eye. Police personnel are not called Detective in India.
One character, Santosh Negi from the Nainital Police, is addressed as Santoshji the first time, and as Negiji just two short paragraphs later.
What I appreciated was the setting, the mountains and the forests, and how they loomed large over the events. The author outdid himself describing the mountains.
My favourite part of the book included the observations that the author made about the city. How people from the villages are dying to live in the cities, while those in the cities want to live in the villages, and all this while the villages are slowly overcome by the curse of development. Also, how the romance of living in a remote village can only be enjoyed through the eyes of privilege.
The author also pointed out the vitriolic climate prevalent in the country today where right-wing Hindus are constantly taking offence.
Nor did I have any issues with the investigation. All in all, a well-written mystery, as promised by the blurb.
When British author-activist Clare Watson is found dead in the forests in the fictional village of Birtola, the eyes of the world are once again riveted upon India. The nation’s dubious reputation as “no country for women” is highlighted. Neville Wadia, retired from the Mumbai Police, and his wife, Shahnaz, who live in the village, and who counted Clare among their friends are shocked to learn that their friend is no more. Identifying the killer will be a challenge.
Clare’s book, India: A Minority Report, about the treatment of the lower castes, religious minorities, women and the LGBT community, was a subject of controversy. Besides, Clare has had run-ins with a local politician, Gopal Kabarwal, and a landshark named Tamta, besides several local men on the issue of domestic violence. Also, she was pregnant but the child wasn’t her husband's.
Which of Clare’s many run-ins led to her life being snuffed out?
The book is written in the third person omniscient point of view.
The language wasn’t up to the mark. "Neville was tossing his head."
Another sentence reads: "A British foreign office spokesperson confirmed that it was in close contact with the Indian Ministry of Home Affairs."
Shouldn’t the ‘it’ have been changed to ‘the foreign office,’ considering that the noun in the above sentence is the spokesperson?
Incorrect punctuation marred the effect. "Neville didn’t open his eyes, but as if in the throes of a seizure seemed to register her words." The prose also suffered from missing articles.
"After crossing a cluster of fruit orchards, bare trees he could recognize as apple or peach, but not the senior man, Ravi slowed…" Here, the author means that the senior man could not recognise the trees.
Elsewhere, Neville describes Peter as, "He hails from the financial markets." How can a person hail from financial markets?
The author refers to a police officer, Ravi Dubey, as Detective Dubey. In India, a detective is a private eye. Police personnel are not called Detective in India.
One character, Santosh Negi from the Nainital Police, is addressed as Santoshji the first time, and as Negiji just two short paragraphs later.
What I appreciated was the setting, the mountains and the forests, and how they loomed large over the events. The author outdid himself describing the mountains.
My favourite part of the book included the observations that the author made about the city. How people from the villages are dying to live in the cities, while those in the cities want to live in the villages, and all this while the villages are slowly overcome by the curse of development. Also, how the romance of living in a remote village can only be enjoyed through the eyes of privilege.
The author also pointed out the vitriolic climate prevalent in the country today where right-wing Hindus are constantly taking offence.
Nor did I have any issues with the investigation. All in all, a well-written mystery, as promised by the blurb.
May 17, 2020
Full review on my blog:
https://blog.medhaapps.com/2020/05/bo...
Clare Watson, originally from England and now a resident of Birtola village in the Himalayas, was spotted dead in the forest adjacent to the village. Satish Kalia from Delhi reaches this quaint village to crack this murder mystery and meets Neville Wadia an ex-policeman from Mumbai who is now settled in Birtola with his wife Shehnaz. Neville joins SK on his request for the murder investigation as Neville has the advantage of being a local for the past two years.
No evidence found near the dead body and multiple suspects — Clare constantly invited controversy during her stay in India. Her book on minorities brought her hate mail and forced her to quit all social media, even give up using a smart phone, there is a new book in the editing stage about mining mafia; she was the crusader against the abuse and violence women of the village were subjected to, inviting the wrath of the men; Clare also stood against the land mafia who were destroying the Himalayan eco system for commercial purposes.
Neville and SK hence had a tough task at hand as the list of enemies Clare made seemed endless. How will these men figure out the motive and the murderer forms the rest of the story.
The first half is racy as Clare’s background, the residents of the resort and other villagers, people who developed animosity towards Clare are introduced quickly. The author’s vivid description of these hill stations and the simple life will make the reader want to pack bags for their next visit. However, as the story progresses and the mystery unfolds, the reader will be left wanting more as the story feels underwhelming. In recent murder mysteries, the use of technology to nab the culprits has been on the rise but here, Neville and SK are seen interrogating all the suspects personally and using their experience and intellect to crack the case.
If the reader can read it as a story in the hills showcasing the socio-political dynamics of an outsider like Clare tries to correct the wrongs happening, then the book makes for a decent read. If you are a fan of hard-core thrillers and murder mysteries then this one may fall short of your expectations. Read it instead for the beautiful Himalayan experience and the changing life in the hills.
https://blog.medhaapps.com/2020/05/bo...
Clare Watson, originally from England and now a resident of Birtola village in the Himalayas, was spotted dead in the forest adjacent to the village. Satish Kalia from Delhi reaches this quaint village to crack this murder mystery and meets Neville Wadia an ex-policeman from Mumbai who is now settled in Birtola with his wife Shehnaz. Neville joins SK on his request for the murder investigation as Neville has the advantage of being a local for the past two years.
No evidence found near the dead body and multiple suspects — Clare constantly invited controversy during her stay in India. Her book on minorities brought her hate mail and forced her to quit all social media, even give up using a smart phone, there is a new book in the editing stage about mining mafia; she was the crusader against the abuse and violence women of the village were subjected to, inviting the wrath of the men; Clare also stood against the land mafia who were destroying the Himalayan eco system for commercial purposes.
Neville and SK hence had a tough task at hand as the list of enemies Clare made seemed endless. How will these men figure out the motive and the murderer forms the rest of the story.
The first half is racy as Clare’s background, the residents of the resort and other villagers, people who developed animosity towards Clare are introduced quickly. The author’s vivid description of these hill stations and the simple life will make the reader want to pack bags for their next visit. However, as the story progresses and the mystery unfolds, the reader will be left wanting more as the story feels underwhelming. In recent murder mysteries, the use of technology to nab the culprits has been on the rise but here, Neville and SK are seen interrogating all the suspects personally and using their experience and intellect to crack the case.
If the reader can read it as a story in the hills showcasing the socio-political dynamics of an outsider like Clare tries to correct the wrongs happening, then the book makes for a decent read. If you are a fan of hard-core thrillers and murder mysteries then this one may fall short of your expectations. Read it instead for the beautiful Himalayan experience and the changing life in the hills.
March 5, 2022
This was a nice read. It was my Uttarakhand pick for my #ReadingIndia task.
As a mystery, it was not as satisfying as some of my favourites, but I think it turned out to be a good read as a representation of Uttarakhand. It reflects some of the socio-political problems of the place really well: the usurpation of land for large-scale development or personal construction by exploiting loopholes in land purchase laws in the state, the differing local and outside perspectives on the issue, the casual acceptance of domestic violence, the current atmosphere that entails violent reactions to perceived criticisms of ‘Hindu culture’. And for this reason, it was interesting.
I think the author also does justice to the geographical setting and evokes the charms of a small hill village quite well.
The protagonist, Neville Wadia is believable as a detective and is quite a likeable character as is his wife, Shehnaz. Refreshingly, this is a story where there is no malicious competition among cops but a reverential teacher-student kind of relationship between Wadia, who is retired from the force and Satish Kalia, the big city cop assigned to the case. It almost seems unbelievable. Within the space of the book — about 200+ pages — the characters are well developed.
What I did not like was the fact that it seemed as if the people of the village needed outsiders to step in and ‘save’ them. Maybe I am reading too much into this but the victim, British-born Clare Watson, and the Wadias are outsiders who seem to have to intervene to fix things. There did not seem to be a single local character imbued with drive and initiative, unless it was for nefarious purposes.
Overall, an interesting portrayal of an Uttarakhand hill village and a good murder mystery.
As a mystery, it was not as satisfying as some of my favourites, but I think it turned out to be a good read as a representation of Uttarakhand. It reflects some of the socio-political problems of the place really well: the usurpation of land for large-scale development or personal construction by exploiting loopholes in land purchase laws in the state, the differing local and outside perspectives on the issue, the casual acceptance of domestic violence, the current atmosphere that entails violent reactions to perceived criticisms of ‘Hindu culture’. And for this reason, it was interesting.
I think the author also does justice to the geographical setting and evokes the charms of a small hill village quite well.
The protagonist, Neville Wadia is believable as a detective and is quite a likeable character as is his wife, Shehnaz. Refreshingly, this is a story where there is no malicious competition among cops but a reverential teacher-student kind of relationship between Wadia, who is retired from the force and Satish Kalia, the big city cop assigned to the case. It almost seems unbelievable. Within the space of the book — about 200+ pages — the characters are well developed.
What I did not like was the fact that it seemed as if the people of the village needed outsiders to step in and ‘save’ them. Maybe I am reading too much into this but the victim, British-born Clare Watson, and the Wadias are outsiders who seem to have to intervene to fix things. There did not seem to be a single local character imbued with drive and initiative, unless it was for nefarious purposes.
Overall, an interesting portrayal of an Uttarakhand hill village and a good murder mystery.
May 4, 2020
I am not a fan of murder mysteries, no matter how gripping and captivating they are, but recently I have been juggling through various genres, to broaden my horizons and enable understanding towards various perspectives, and what could be better than a well written mystery like this.
I had my doubts, but the author's narration caught me and would not let me keep the book.
I kept reading it the entire night.
The sequence with which every stone is turned and the way the story develops various emotions in you is remarkable
I had my doubts, but the author's narration caught me and would not let me keep the book.
I kept reading it the entire night.
The sequence with which every stone is turned and the way the story develops various emotions in you is remarkable
October 16, 2022
I picked up this book out of curiosity to find out how a finance man who daily appeared on TV to desect market desected a murder in the physical though imaginary world. And he succeeds.
Mukherjee writes lucidly and is very readable. 174 pages of this slim book can be read in a single night. He has all the skills of Agatha Christie for a detective fiction.
Mukherjee writes lucidly and is very readable. 174 pages of this slim book can be read in a single night. He has all the skills of Agatha Christie for a detective fiction.
August 13, 2020
Good read ..
December 6, 2020
Definitely a well written whodunnit. Couldn't guess the murderer. Built up the plot with very contemporary happenings in the hills. Will look forward to the next Neville Wadia mystery.
March 19, 2025
Elegant and evocative. Enjoyed reading it.
November 7, 2024
mystery. murder. thrill.
January 4, 2020
Adhering to the rules of classic murder-mystery writing while also traversing new paths, Mukherjee’s novel – subtitled A Neville Wadia Mystery – is set in Uttarakhand in contemporary times. The central character is an ageing former police officer who quit after a witness he was supposed to be watching over was murdered.
A slim volume, ADitH is a loaded novel, complete with the present-day political scenario of the country and the socio-political ways of the world in the hinterland. The murder victim is an Englishwoman who has earned the ire of people across the country with her commentary on the state of affairs regarding sensitive issues like LGBTQ rights.
Wadia is sought out by the IO Satish Kalia aka SK (because anybody with a ‘K’ in their initials will have their name shortened) to help solve the case, and soon gets to unravelling the mystery.
The murder itself is of very little consequence to the novel. It is more of an examination of power structure within society than anything else, and because it succeeds on that front, one overlooks the issues with it. At least initially. As the novel progresses however, these become more evident and stick out. A murder mystery must afford the reader the opportunity to solve the case at the centre, but Mukherjee isn’t up to offering that to his readers.
ADitH is a skilfully written, evocative novel that could’ve been a better murder mystery.
More at Varun Oak-Bhakay's Writer's Block
A slim volume, ADitH is a loaded novel, complete with the present-day political scenario of the country and the socio-political ways of the world in the hinterland. The murder victim is an Englishwoman who has earned the ire of people across the country with her commentary on the state of affairs regarding sensitive issues like LGBTQ rights.
Wadia is sought out by the IO Satish Kalia aka SK (because anybody with a ‘K’ in their initials will have their name shortened) to help solve the case, and soon gets to unravelling the mystery.
The murder itself is of very little consequence to the novel. It is more of an examination of power structure within society than anything else, and because it succeeds on that front, one overlooks the issues with it. At least initially. As the novel progresses however, these become more evident and stick out. A murder mystery must afford the reader the opportunity to solve the case at the centre, but Mukherjee isn’t up to offering that to his readers.
ADitH is a skilfully written, evocative novel that could’ve been a better murder mystery.
More at Varun Oak-Bhakay's Writer's Block
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November 5, 2019Following his nervous breakdown, supercop Neville Wadia retires from the force and relocates to the tranquil Himalayan village, Birtola, along with his wife. Two years of living in bliss comes to an abrupt end when their neighbor Clare Watson is murdered. Clare, an author/ Western do-gooder, had her fair share of enemies while she was alive, which complicates the case as there are several suspects with seemingly strong motives, while very few of them have a cast-iron alibi. With the case gaining international coverage and the local media having a field day with it, the officer in charge, Satish, seeks Neville’s guidance to find the murderer.
I’ve always been a sucker for mysteries, so it should come as no surprise that I enjoyed reading this book. The author quite remarkably describes the picturesque beauty of Britola and the idyllic life people lead in the mountains. Undoubtedly, what I liked best was its setting- a rural village where violence is rare made the murder seem far more dreadful and shocking than it would in an urban setting.
Wadia and Satish have a tough time dealing with this case as there are multiple suspects with strong motives but there isn’t much evidence to prove any of them guilty. However, if you've read a lot of whodunit mysteries, you're sure to guess who the culprit is halfway through the book. I did, and I have to say, nothing matches the satisfaction of solving a crime before the protagonist does. The one thing I didn’t like about the book it was Satish’s character who appeared a little too content to play second fiddle to Wadia.
A Death in the Himalayas has an intriguing plot, and is so well paced that you might end up completing this almost 300-page book in one sitting. This book is definitely worth a read and I’d recommend it to fans of mystery and crime fiction; it’s a perfect read for this time of the year as the story definitely felt more compelling in this cold weather.
I’ve always been a sucker for mysteries, so it should come as no surprise that I enjoyed reading this book. The author quite remarkably describes the picturesque beauty of Britola and the idyllic life people lead in the mountains. Undoubtedly, what I liked best was its setting- a rural village where violence is rare made the murder seem far more dreadful and shocking than it would in an urban setting.
Wadia and Satish have a tough time dealing with this case as there are multiple suspects with strong motives but there isn’t much evidence to prove any of them guilty. However, if you've read a lot of whodunit mysteries, you're sure to guess who the culprit is halfway through the book. I did, and I have to say, nothing matches the satisfaction of solving a crime before the protagonist does. The one thing I didn’t like about the book it was Satish’s character who appeared a little too content to play second fiddle to Wadia.
A Death in the Himalayas has an intriguing plot, and is so well paced that you might end up completing this almost 300-page book in one sitting. This book is definitely worth a read and I’d recommend it to fans of mystery and crime fiction; it’s a perfect read for this time of the year as the story definitely felt more compelling in this cold weather.
December 11, 2019
There is no denying that everytime I see a mystery set in India, I need to pick it up as soon as I get my hands on it.
A death in the Himalayas was quite an enjoyable read and had a brilliantly woven plot starting from Clare, a foreigner and an activist ,getting murdered in the remote foothills of Himalayas.
Was Clare's death an act of lust or vengeance? Was it just like any other crime committed on an impulse or is there any dangerous schemes at play?
I really enjoyed this organic Indian whodunnit mystery as a whole as Mukherjee imbibed various socio-political and contemporary issues into the plot.The character of the main detective Wadia however left me unimpressed in terms of execution.I couldn't imagine him as a detective for some weird reason and the flashbacks that were a part to give his story extra depth only left me confused.I felt something missing throughout the book and I couldn't put a finger upon it.
Sure, the story didn't sound fabricated at all and something that is entirely plausible in today's world but it kind of lack originality. Also,I very well know a mystery should never by its exponential factor of predictability.
But, then again I kind of guessed the WHO DID IT part very early on. The reason WHY HE/SHE DID IT was a different story and that is what impressed me the most.
A death in the Himalayas was quite an enjoyable read and had a brilliantly woven plot starting from Clare, a foreigner and an activist ,getting murdered in the remote foothills of Himalayas.
Was Clare's death an act of lust or vengeance? Was it just like any other crime committed on an impulse or is there any dangerous schemes at play?
I really enjoyed this organic Indian whodunnit mystery as a whole as Mukherjee imbibed various socio-political and contemporary issues into the plot.The character of the main detective Wadia however left me unimpressed in terms of execution.I couldn't imagine him as a detective for some weird reason and the flashbacks that were a part to give his story extra depth only left me confused.I felt something missing throughout the book and I couldn't put a finger upon it.
Sure, the story didn't sound fabricated at all and something that is entirely plausible in today's world but it kind of lack originality. Also,I very well know a mystery should never by its exponential factor of predictability.
But, then again I kind of guessed the WHO DID IT part very early on. The reason WHY HE/SHE DID IT was a different story and that is what impressed me the most.
December 22, 2019
With a solid plot, plenty of plausible suspects, and almost Agatha Christiesque clues (), this is a promising mystery debut by Udayan Mukherjee.
I especially loved the setting of Birtola, a fictional village at the foothills of the Himalayas. He's brought alive the lives of the people there and given a fair look at different sides of the question of development vs preservation of the idyll. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
I especially loved the setting of Birtola, a fictional village at the foothills of the Himalayas. He's brought alive the lives of the people there and given a fair look at different sides of the question of development vs preservation of the idyll. I look forward to reading the rest of the series.
January 2, 2020
This murder mystery, set in Birtola in Uttarakhand, explores the crises when an English author cum activist is found murdered in the local jungles. Clare Watson is a do-gooder at heart who cannot see any wrong happening around her, and is often at the centre of tussles with authorities and men over issues ranging from the homestead to ecological imbalance.
One day, she is found dead in the village and very soon, the witness too dies.
This is a a page turner in the real sense of the term as Neville Wadia and Satish Kalia race against time to catch the murderer.
My rating - 3.5/5
One day, she is found dead in the village and very soon, the witness too dies.
This is a a page turner in the real sense of the term as Neville Wadia and Satish Kalia race against time to catch the murderer.
My rating - 3.5/5
January 19, 2020
A murder mystery set in a quaint village in the Kumaon hills solved by an ex policeman Naville Wadia. A fast pace read.
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